Scripture Meditation

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

— Psalm 1:1-2 NASB

Scripture meditation is a living, growing relationship with our Heavenly Father through the transforming power of His Word, the Holy Bible. Scripture meditation is not an intellectual study, but rather a spiritual exercise. How can we meditate on Scripture? Here are some suggestions.

Read the Bible. Reading a passage of Scripture can have a cleansing effect on our mind, will, and emotions. As Jesus told His disciples, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3 NASB). Reading Scripture can build personal faith. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17 NASB). Reading Scripture fulfills God’s instruction to believers. As the Apostle Paul admonished Timothy, “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:13 NASB).

Read with Your Mind and Your Spirit. Meditating on Scripture is not an intellectual exercise. Rather, it is a Spirit-to-spirit interaction. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23–24 NASB). Scripture meditation requires that we place our mind under the control of our spirit and God’s Spirit, because the Scriptures are spiritually discerned, as Paul explained. “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB). This also requires that we have the Holy Spirit in us by being born again and that we have not grieved Him or quenched His power. Our sins must be confessed and forsaken, because “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18 NASB).

Mark the Verses That Stand Out to You. As you read, the Holy Spirit will cause certain verses to stand out to you with special meaning. Mark these verses so that you can come back to them. As you reread familiar passages, different verses will probably stand out because you have had new experiences and are facing new needs in your life. After finishing your reading, select the most significant verse or passage so that you can use it for your meditation. If God directs, you can also select an entire chapter or book to use for your memorization and meditation.

Put the Passage In Your Heart. Scripture meditation is an activity that takes place in the heart. Therefore, the psalmist prayed, “With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments” (Psalm 119:10 NASB). And just as the writer of Proverbs wrote of his father, “Then he taught me and said to me, ‘Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live’ ” (Proverbs 4:4 NASB). We put God’s Word in our hearts by memorizing it word for word. God urged us to do this when He said, “Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips.” (Proverbs 22:17–18 NASB).

Use Scripture to Talk With God. In the process of memorizing a passage, quote it back to the Lord as an expression of your mind, will, and emotions. This is what David did in his meditation. “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust, Do not let me be ashamed; Do not let my enemies exult over me” (Psalm 25:1–2 NASB). As we use Scripture to express ourselves to God, we are engrafting it into our souls which fulfills the instruction of James 1:21: “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls” (NASB).

Focus On One Word at a Time. There is a vast world of truth and meaning in each word of Scripture, because “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16 NASB). By focusing on each word in the sequence of the verse, we expand our understanding of its meaning and increase our ability to think God’s thoughts after Him. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9 NASB). Where possible and appropriate, personalize the passage. This is done by using the words I, my, and me in place of he or they.

Share Your Results With Others. We are told to “...encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today,' so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13 NASB). By telling what God is doing in our lives through Scripture meditation, we also deepen our own grasp of the Bible verses and often see new applications of them. As we meditate on Scripture, God will bless us in significant ways. As we share these blessings with others, they should be motivated to follow our example and meditate on Scripture day and night.

--Jimmy Thomas

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse